


Can't Bark Back

by NotoriousReign



Category: Degrassi: Next Class
Genre: F/F, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25696360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotoriousReign/pseuds/NotoriousReign
Summary: Home from a fun night drinking, Frankie and Esme are unfortunately confronted by Frankie's mom, Diana. Worse for her, Esme actually has a bone to pick too.
Relationships: Frankie Hollingsworth/Esme Song
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14
Collections: Mola Hope Universe





	Can't Bark Back

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JudCute](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JudCute/gifts).



> As always, this is set in the universe where Lola kept her baby, but she only really makes a cameo near the end. Gotta love me some Fresme!

* * *

“I can’t go back to that house, I can’t. My dad’ll kill me. Frankie, I can’t go back there.”

“Esme. We are _in the Uber_ , stop worrying.”

When Esme was drunk two options usually occurred: she was funnier than she’ll ever be, or she was upset and scared to see her dad. She had gotten some fake ids for her and Frankie and they hit the city together pretty often. All things considered, Frankie would have to say that they never actually got _too_ drunk.

Except this one time. Right this second.

“You can’t take me back to my dad--"

“Esme.” Frankie was a little drunk as well, but she managed to meet her girlfriend with a stern look. Well, as stern as she could ever _make_ it look. “We’re going to my house. Okay?”

“Promise?”

She jutted out her pinky finger and pouted. It was pretty cute. Frankie smiled and linked fingers.

“Promise.”

They drove the rest of the way in companionable silence, with Esme’s head eventually cradled against Frankie’s shoulder, catching a much-needed nap. Ever since they started dating, it had come as such a huge surprise to everyone within her circle. Honestly, she was still a little shocked about it too.

But it brought a thrill and always made her heart skip a beat just thinking about Esme. She was happy, less worried about cheating like she had been with Winston and Jonah. Yes, it sounded odd considering everyone’s nickname for Esme, but Esme did that sort of stuff with just _her_ , and nobody else. They were both nothing but faithful to each other and Frankie appreciated the fact that this was the first person who ever helped her feel confident in a relationship.

So they sat in silence, Frankie observing the skyline through her car window. She watched as the city’s skyscrapers and nightlife disappeared into a more wooded area, arriving right by her mansion’s front gate.

“Drop us off here, thanks.”

Esme suddenly snorted awake. “We should try out for cheerleading!”

As they walked out of the car and buzzed themselves through the gate, Frankie burst out laughing. She didn’t really care that it sounded like a foghorn in the still night.

“I don’t think so.”

“What? You wouldn’t wanna see me in one of those cute little uniforms?” She shook her butt enticingly.

“Maybe you could try on my old one. We don’t have that stuff at Degrassi anymore after what happened with the oomfchat nudes.”

Esme stopped, both of them approaching the giant front doors. “Details please.”

“I’ll tell you once we get inside.” Frankie dropped her voice into barely a whisper. They both wobbled a bit from the alcohol and she pulled Esme’s arm close. “We need to keep quiet, before my mom hears us.”

She punched in the security code before a loud electronic voice could wake everyone in the house. Frankie didn’t know if Lola was sleeping over with the baby that night but the last thing they needed was to wake either one of them. She wondered which was worse, a sleep-deprived baby or a sleep-deprived Lola.

Frankie and Esme both giggled, in on whatever joke passed through their heads and the lights flickered on just as they turned away from the touchpad. Diana Hollingsworth, Frankie’s fuming mother, stood with heavy bags under very angry eyes. Her arms were crossed, back straight.

Turns out Frankie was still in trouble. She couldn’t even look at her mom, embarrassed, not wanting to lose the happy high she and her girlfriend possessed right now.

“Look who it is! Mother of the year!” Esme blurted out instead.

Frankie winced, but Diana ignored the comment, eyes still searing into her daughter’s skull.

“Where were you? Your curfew was an hour ago.”

Frankie quickly checked her phone and saw that it was only midnight. Not good, but also not terrible. “Mom, it’s really not that late.”

“Are you two drunk right now?”

“Just a _little_ bit.” Esme giggled in reply.

“Go back to your own house Esme.”

Frankie perked up, a terrified spark shocking her back into her surroundings. “No mom, come on. I promised she could stay here with us tonight. I don’t want her to be alone.”

“With Miles’s drug addiction and all that history, I’m shocked you aren’t smart enough not to get _drunk_ in front of him.”

“He’s asleep. What does drinking a little have to do with him taking _horse tranquilizer_?” Frankie paused and glanced towards Esme, who was leaning against the wall. She had a thoughtful grin on her face and realization dawned on Frankie as well. “You don’t want him near _her_.”

“Yeah, how about we rehash why exactly he was practically _begging_ me for drugs, hm?” Esme pushed herself off the wall, glassy drunk eyes surprisingly fiery. “Miles was scared shitless of the guy you decided to take back and panicking all the time about it. You told him everything was his fault.” She scoffed. “You’re just like my dad.”

“Esme...” Frankie whispered, uncomfortable now.

That happy atmosphere really was gone, but she couldn’t exactly blame Esme for being annoyed. It’s not like they were out until 4 in the morning and besides, her brothers were always allowed to do whatever they wanted. Even after one of them got Frankie’s best friend pregnant and the other brought a gun to school.

“Tell your… girlfriend not to use that tone with me.” Diana said through gritted teeth, but both of them could see she was taken aback with the truth of Esme’s words.

“You can’t just keep blaming me or Miles’s dad for all your drama when you were the one who just ignored your own son. Riddle me this.” Esme pulled up her hands, as if she were putting on a show for an imaginary audience. “Did I ever _charge_ Miles for any of the stuff I gave him? Out of my own medication too! I know it was stupid, but at least I was trying to _help_. What were you doing? Fucking the guy who hit him!”

“Esme!” Frankie cut through, mortified. “ _Don’t_ say that to her, it’s totally gross.” She turned back to her mom. “And she has a point. So she’s staying the night whether you like it or not. I promised her. Maybe next time get mad at Hunter and Miles when they decide to stay out as long as I do. Okay? I’m not the one _with_ a kid, so stop treating me like one.”

Diana pursed her lips and Frankie waited for the worst. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest and she wondered if her mother was speaking and she just couldn’t hear it. She was taking _way_ too long to say anything. Did she lose her voice? Was Frankie suddenly deaf? All these thoughts and more rifled at a rapid pace through her head while she waited for her mom to open her stupid mouth.

“Go upstairs, go straight to bed. Keep the door open.”

“Ooh, kinky--”

Frankie grabbed Esme’s arm before she could say anything worse. “Let’s go.”

They made their way quickly up to the room and Frankie still decided to close the door anyway. She was a rebel like that. Esme quickly flopped on the pink canopied bed and sighed into the pillows. She turned her face as Frankie started changing, but her eyes were squeezed shut.

“You’re mad at me aren’t you?” Her tone was accusing, ready for a fight.

Frankie had learned these last few months not to take the bait. She left her bra and underwear on, sitting on the edge of the bed and wishing Esme would just open her eyes.

“I hate how everyone in your house still sees me as the enabler.”

“Miles and Hunter and even Lola don’t think that. Just my mom.”

“I see the way they all look at me. Like I’m gonna cheat on you the second Zig looks my way again.” Another dejected sigh. “It sucks, that’s all.”

Esme opened her eyes and saw Frankie in her underwear then. She pulled herself up slightly, eyes roving hungrily over Frankie's body.

“Wow.”

The way her breath hitched at the word made Frankie feel so great, it made her skin tingle. Jonah never reacted that way about her. Sure she was hot all over now, but it was nice to feel so warm inside. 

“I appreciated you defending Miles like that by the way. I didn’t know you still thought about that stuff.”

Esme sat up fully and shrugged, still blushing, still staring. “All I do is screw up and make parents hate me. But it’s not my fault he needed help to begin with.”

“You’re right. My mom will realize that soon. Can I tell you about the oomfchat nudes now?”

That got her to perk up. They changed into pyjamas and cuddled in close, Esme listening to every sordid detail in awe. By the time Frankie was done, her jaw had permanently dropped. A knowing twinkle in her eye had returned.

“So Shay thinks she has a right to call me _easy_ when she’s the one who sent her naked body to boys online? Interesting.”

Frankie groaned, closing her eyes. She felt a creeping headache start to begin, mostly from the alcohol.

“Tell you what. I won’t bug her about it unless Tiny brings up the stupid cupcakes again. Deal?”

Frankie opened her eyes and Esme had that cute little pinky finger up again. “Deal.”

* * *

The next morning they woke up to the sound of a baby crying and it drilled right into their skulls. With identical painful grumblings, Esme and Frankie washed up together, grabbed some Tylenol and downed it greedily with some sparkling water.

Memories of the night before slowly returned for Frankie and she started worrying about her mom. She decided that if Diana was rude, she wouldn’t tolerate it. If she could accept Miles’s baby and Hunter’s… well _everything_ , she could get over the fact that Esme was Frankie’s girlfriend. And that Esme made her happy too.

In the Hollingsworth kitchen, Frankie sat across from Lola bouncing baby Hope. Esme tentatively joined her, looking away.

“Cute baby.”

Lola laughed sleepily. “I think so too.”

That garnered a smirk from Esme.

Diana walked in, yawning, before she made her way to the giant metallic fridge and pulled out some milk.

“Frankie, is your girlfriend staying for breakfast?”

She looked over her shoulder, a little awkwardly, but it still made Esme relax and that was all that mattered.

“If you’ll have me.”

“I’m sorry I snapped at you.” Diana said it more to the fridge, continuing on with pulling out ingredients. “We can discuss a new curfew time later. Okay Franks?”

“That sounds good mom.”

It wasn’t a perfect situation but at least the omelettes more than made up for it. Frankie sat there, chatting with everyone, the headache slowly dying away. She was glad that Esme had enough fire in her when things were unfair to defend her girlfriend and she was glad that same person was keeping a steady warm hand on her knee.

Life was good.

* * *


End file.
